Yoga
Yoga is a discipline that strives to unite mind, body and spirit
through the practice of stretches, poses and breathing techniques.
Its origins date back 5,000 years to the pre-historic civilizations
of northern India, where it was developed as a means to enlightenment.
Today, practitioners all over the world are discovering the benefits
of Yoga, which include greater flexibility, strength and co-ordination.
Yoga has much more to offer beyond the mere physical benefits, however.
Devotees of Yoga say that the practice encourages calmness of spirit,
heightens awareness and drastically reduces stress.
Any spa worth its salt will offer Yoga classes as part of its system
of treatments and most major hotels also have Yoga instructors.
There are also private classes available, led by experienced teachers
who have studied the art for years. Although Yoga embraces many
concepts of Hinduism and Buddhism, it is not necessary to subscribe
to these belief systems to enjoy and benefit from Yoga practice.
Acupuncture
Although considered by westerners as a 'new', 'alternative' form
of medicine, the practice of acupuncture was first documented in
the Huang Di Nei Jing (Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine),
which, at 4,700 years old, is possibly the world's most ancient
medical textbook. It describes the techniques used for healing the
body by dint of inserting very fine needles into various energy
centres around the body to enhance and balance the flow of energy.
In Taoist cosmology, upon which Chinese medicine is based, an energy
known as Chi flows through everything. Chi is similar to The Force
or duct tape in that it has a dark side and a light side and holds
everything together. The two sides of Chi are not opposed, however,
they must be in balance. If they become out of balance illness and
pain are the result. Acupuncture restores the balance by stimulating
the flow of Chi along 'Meridians'. Meridians are areas where the
paths of Chi are close to the surface and easily accessible by needles.
Acupuncture is a very safe and effective method of treating a variety
of afflictions. It has been proven to be useful in treating health
problems ranging from chronic pain to allergies, even some forms
of paralysis. Additionally, acupuncture can be effective in treating
psychological disorders such as depression and overeating. Studies
conducted in the United States have found acupuncture to have very
high success rates in treating substance addiction, especially when
combined with other forms of treatment such as counselling.
Acupuncture is relatively painless and patients only feel a slight
sensation (called the Da-Chi) when the needle is inserted. In fact,
acupuncture is so effective at preventing or curing pain that it
is often used as a surgical anaesthetic.
There are several clinics offering acupuncture treatment in Phuket
and most hospitals have trained acupuncturists on staff to augment
or replace western style treatments.
Phuket International Hospital
44 Chalermprakiat Rd
Located between Big C and Tesco Lotus on the bypass road.
Tel: +66 (0)7 624 9400, +66 (0)7 621 0936
Email: info@phuket-inter-hospital.co.th
Website: www.phuket-inter-hospital.co.th
Bangkok Phuket Hospital
2/1 Hongyok Utis Rd, Phuket City
Located in Phuket City.
Tel: +66 (0)7 625 4421
Email info@phukethospital.com
Website www.phukethospital.com
Dr. V Cosmetic Surgery Rejuvenation Clinic
243 Rat-U-Thit Rd, Patong
Tel: +66 (0)7 629 2931, +66 (0)1 657 9973; Fax: +66 (0)7 629 2932
Email: dr_veerawat@hotmail.com
Meditation
It is slightly misleading to use the word 'meditation' to refer
to the practice employed in Thai Buddhism. Meditation in Thailand
does not involve daydreaming, auto-hypnosis or making the mind 'blank'.
Rather it means to concentrate single-mindedly upon a single object
or thought. To truly focus every aspect of one's being on a single
thing takes an enormous amount of concentration and mental discipline.
The benefit of meditation is not to found in the object of contemplation,
but in the act of contemplation itself.
Many westerners, growing weary of the constant barrage of information
inflicted upon their consciousness by western society, are turning
to meditation to help bring their lives back into focus. The practice
of meditation does not necessarily mean giving up the enjoyment
of life, quite the opposite, in fact. Serious practice of meditation
allows one to be more aware of life and to enjoy every moment of
it mindfully.
Anyone can practice and benefit from meditation; you don't have
to be a monk, or even a Buddhist, you simply have to be willing
to make a sincere effort. For those just starting out meditation
can be extremely demanding and difficult but if you stay with it,
the benefits of increased wisdom, clarity and serenity will make
themselves apparent.
The Mental Development Centre in Honour of His Majesty the King
Moo 1, Karon
Tel: +66 (0)1 537 2829, +66 (0)1 891 8211
E-mail: jsabhasri@yahoo.com
Internal Cleansing and Detoxification
Let's face it - life in the West just isn't as healthy as it used
to be. Every day you have all kinds of poisons and toxins enter
your body. From the smog in the air to the preservatives in your
Pop-Tart modern life is many things but natural usually isn't one
of them. A program of fasting and detoxification could be just what
the alternative health practitioner ordered to flush all of that
out of your body and get yourself back to a more natural state.
The Atsumi Healing Center.
34/18 Soi Pattana, Sai Yuan Rd, Rawai
Tel: +66 (0)7 628 8075, +66 (0)1 272 0571
Email: info@atsumihealing.com
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